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Modifying dangerous biting behaviour in difficult cats
We recently had a cat killed by a vet because of a second vicious and
totally unexpected biting incident. In effect, it was the end of an unsuccessful attempt to adopt a quasi-stray 3-year old male (originally not neutered). It caused my wife and I considerable emotional pain because 99% of the short time we had him, the cat was truly adorable, a unique and extremely interesting animal. A strong, confident and vicious warrior, he was very kind and respectful to our 12 year old female tabby. I would hike up and down Burnaby Mountain with him here in Greater Vancouver at a pace that would send most ordinary folks to hospital. He loved it. Can somebody please direct me to animal behaviour literature that would suggest techniques of how to modify dangerous biting behaviour? I have been searching the UseNet groups as well as browsing this one. I am well aware of most of the biting behaviour mentionned and do not see those forms of biting as a problem. Discipline biting when irritated by excessive petting, biting during rough play, affectionate biting and chewing, etc. That behaviour I understand and can manage with ease. What I am referring to are reactive bites that pierce to or almost to the bone, pierce into cartilage, and occur at lightning speed. The conventional wisdom is that you "put down" animals like this. We had to because we could not risk a suburban neighbour, particularly a child, getting bitten. I want to keep exploring just in case somebody like an academic egg-head has come up with interesting behavioural modification techniques that none of the folks we consulted were aware of. (Please understand that nibbling or biting the cat's ears would not have worked.) regards -Erik, British Columbia |
#2
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"Erik" wrote in message om... ....Can somebody please direct me to animal behaviour literature that would suggest techniques of how to modify dangerous biting behaviour? .... regards -Erik, British Columbia Erik, I wish I could help you find an answer to your question, but all I can offer is condolences on the loss of your cat. It sounds as though you tried your best and the decision to let him go was difficult. Annie |
#3
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"Erik" wrote in message om... ....Can somebody please direct me to animal behaviour literature that would suggest techniques of how to modify dangerous biting behaviour? .... regards -Erik, British Columbia Erik, I wish I could help you find an answer to your question, but all I can offer is condolences on the loss of your cat. It sounds as though you tried your best and the decision to let him go was difficult. Annie |
#5
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In article ,
enlightened us with... We recently had a cat killed by a vet because of a second vicious and totally unexpected biting incident. I am very sory for your loss. Can somebody please direct me to animal behaviour literature that would suggest techniques of how to modify dangerous biting behaviour? I don't believe there has been anything that is successful enough to consider the previous biter "safe". However, you may want to check out the following books. They are mostly about dogs, but the principals of behavior modification are sound and might give you a starting point. The only research I am aware of in this area has been with dogs. "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor "Shelby Marlo's New Art of Dog Training" by Shelby Marlo "Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell All of these authors agree that nothing with teeth is ever 100% safe as far as biting is concerned and that respect and kindness work best. What I am referring to are reactive bites that pierce to or almost to the bone, pierce into cartilage, and occur at lightning speed. Reacting to *what*? Sometimes animals don't learn bite inhibition. Often these are "puppy mill" (or abandoned) animals that were taken away from their siblings too soon and never learned how to moderate their bite. These are dangerous animals if their new people don't teach them this immediately while they are still young. One bite and they can seriously injure someone because they don't know their own strength. All young animals need to learn this skill. Case in point. I was walking my dog the other day. She's a "rude" dog to other dogs because she tries to climb on them to play. She doesn't respect their space. Some dogs tolerate this. Others do not. A collie did not. In the space of a heartbeat, the collie struck her down with a muzzle grab. Lighting quick, my dog was chastized and on the ground. The collie had done NO damage whatsoever. The control was amazing. If that collie didn't have bite inhibition and control, he'd have cut her to the bone. But she didn't have a mark on her nor did she even cry. She went right back to playing, but more respectfully. In nature, this is how dogs discipline each other. Swift, firm, yet gentle enough not to do any damage. Once an animal is an adult, it is difficult to teach them bite inhibition because of the damage they do with one bite. The conventional wisdom is that you "put down" animals like this. Or keep them inside or under your control on lead at all times. Yes, cats can be leash trained. (Please understand that nibbling or biting the cat's ears would not have worked.) Um, who would ever recommend such a thing? Again, I'm sorry for the loss of your kitty. -- -- ~kaeli~ He's your God, they're your rules - you burn in Hell. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace |
#6
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"kaeli" wrote in message
... In article , enlightened us with... Can somebody please direct me to animal behaviour literature that would suggest techniques of how to modify dangerous biting behaviour? I don't believe there has been anything that is successful enough to consider the previous biter "safe". Precisely. If it's a completely unexpected behavior and there are no clues as to the trigger FOR the behavior, it's pretty much impossible to give advice. Something IN the advice could trigger the behavior. However, you may want to check out the following books. They are mostly about dogs, but the principals of behavior modification are sound and might give you a starting point. The only research I am aware of in this area has been with dogs. "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor "Shelby Marlo's New Art of Dog Training" by Shelby Marlo "Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell I can't help but giggle whenever McConnell is mentioned. I've a friend taking one of her classes, and our previous canine behavior coordinator works with her regularly. All of these authors agree that nothing with teeth is ever 100% safe as far as biting is concerned and that respect and kindness work best. And no one is more familiar with the truth of that statement than shelter workers. |
#7
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"kaeli" wrote in message
... In article , enlightened us with... Can somebody please direct me to animal behaviour literature that would suggest techniques of how to modify dangerous biting behaviour? I don't believe there has been anything that is successful enough to consider the previous biter "safe". Precisely. If it's a completely unexpected behavior and there are no clues as to the trigger FOR the behavior, it's pretty much impossible to give advice. Something IN the advice could trigger the behavior. However, you may want to check out the following books. They are mostly about dogs, but the principals of behavior modification are sound and might give you a starting point. The only research I am aware of in this area has been with dogs. "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor "Shelby Marlo's New Art of Dog Training" by Shelby Marlo "Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell I can't help but giggle whenever McConnell is mentioned. I've a friend taking one of her classes, and our previous canine behavior coordinator works with her regularly. All of these authors agree that nothing with teeth is ever 100% safe as far as biting is concerned and that respect and kindness work best. And no one is more familiar with the truth of that statement than shelter workers. |
#8
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In the first biting incident, my wife's hand became completely swollen
and unusable for about a week. [That was an expensive bite as she works for herself.] In the second incident, I had completed another hike up Burnaby mtn and was once again about to carry the cat across a busy 3-lane road (the third time I would carry the cat that evening) when he bit me deeply into the cartlidge of my noise and then used his claws to push off my forehead missing my right eye by a mm or two. There was blood all over the place. I am fine BTW; after Hep A, cerebral malaria, amoebic dysentry (sp?), staph infections, etc., I probably have an immunity or two built up. Other people do not. If it was just up to us, we might have kept the cat. Too much respect for neighbours and small children lead us to put the animal down. Thanks for the dog-training references. I am an amateur but I consider cat socialization and dog socialization to be very, very different. |
#9
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In the first biting incident, my wife's hand became completely swollen
and unusable for about a week. [That was an expensive bite as she works for herself.] In the second incident, I had completed another hike up Burnaby mtn and was once again about to carry the cat across a busy 3-lane road (the third time I would carry the cat that evening) when he bit me deeply into the cartlidge of my noise and then used his claws to push off my forehead missing my right eye by a mm or two. There was blood all over the place. I am fine BTW; after Hep A, cerebral malaria, amoebic dysentry (sp?), staph infections, etc., I probably have an immunity or two built up. Other people do not. If it was just up to us, we might have kept the cat. Too much respect for neighbours and small children lead us to put the animal down. Thanks for the dog-training references. I am an amateur but I consider cat socialization and dog socialization to be very, very different. |
#10
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In article ,
enlightened us with... Thanks for the dog-training references. I am an amateur but I consider cat socialization and dog socialization to be very, very different. You consider them very different because you are an amateur. (note: I'm certainly no professional myself) Behaviorism is behaviorism. It works in people, monkeys, dolphins, dogs, and cats, among other mammals. In fact, clicker training, now applied to dogs and cats, originated with dolphin training. Dolphins are certainly nothing like cats. Yet the principles of behaviorism (mainly positive and negative reinforcement and the affects on behavior) hold for both. Interesting, eh? -- -- ~kaeli~ Dijon vu - the same mustard as before. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace |
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